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May 15, 1923.

J. K. DELANO `ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed May 1l w1/bueno ffnung May l5, 1923. 1,455,717

J. K. DELANO ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed May ll 191B 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l $5 g 9 Q (g5 Q" f ril J- E R s I u,

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May 15, 1923.

J. K. DELANO ENGI NE STARTING S YS TEM Filed May ll 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jn KJ lill n IINIIIIIIIIIIIII !!!lllllllmmI1 May 15, 1923. 1,455,717 J. K. DELANO ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed May ll 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Svtveufot tfaneselano,

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1,455,717 J. K. DELANO ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed May ll 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May l5, 1923.

UNITED STATES JAMES K. DELANO, F NEXV YORK, N. Y.

ENGINE-STARTING SYSTEM.

Application lcd May 1l,

appertains to make and usel the same.

This invention relates to engine starting systems; and comprises more particularly an electrical system r:for starting internal combustion engines, said system comprising dynamo electric means operative in con suitable accumulator to start an Yinternal combustion engine vfrom rest, and to generate and store current, while the e vine is'running, for starting, lighting, etc. nlertain .makes of -motor vehicles which are driven by internal combustion engines and which are in extensive use at the pres* enttime do' not include as a part of their iegular equipment engine starting means otherthanthe'usual hand crank. The well known Ford'motor caris sufficiently typical'of such motor vehicles. It has been proposed heretofore to provide for this type of vehicle an electrical starter which could be applied to cars already in use; but for the most part, such proposed starters have been objectionable either because their construction was' too complex, was too bulky and heavy, and too expensive, or because they were mechanically defective or ineficient. Most of the difculties encountered in attempting to provide a starter construction which can be readily installed on Ford cars, 'or carsfof similar types, are due to the fact that the cars were not originally designed to accommodate such starter devices, with the result that the mechanical limitations as to space and mechanically advantageous mounting of the starter in proper driving relation to the engine crank shaft are very troublesome. It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a starter construction and mounting which overcomes these diliiculties in a simple and effective manner, and to secure a resultant installation characterized by high mechant cal efficiency, compactness of arrangement, and relatively low cost, all these results being attained without requiringr extensive alteration of the original car equipment or junction with a 191s. serial No. 233,895.

requiring a high degree of skill in makingr the installation.

While the application of the principles of the invention to-starter attachments for Ford cars and the like constitutes a particularly advantageous phase of the invention, it is not to be understood that the invention is limited to this particular field. The invention has for a broad object the provision of starting apparatus characterized by sim- Elicity and mechanica-l etiiciency applicale to motor car construction generally, whether as an attachment to cars already in use or as a part of the standard equipment of cars placed on the market.

The invention also has for an incidental object the improvement of certain details of construction in starter apparatus and mounting which will more fully hereinafter appear.

rl `he foregoing objects, as well as others which will appear as the description of the invention proceeds, are attained in the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the specific embodiment of the invention here chosen for purposes of illustration is merel `typical of apparatus contemplated by the inventlon an included within the scope of the ap ended claims.

In t ese drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a com lete two-unit installation embodying the invention as applied to :L Ford automobile;

Fig 2 is a4 side elevation, partly in sec tion, showing the motor side of the installation;

Fig. 3 is a View in elevation showing the generator side of the installation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred form 0f clutch connection to the engine crank shaft;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the generator mounting;

Fig. G is front elevation of the mounting plate.

Fig. 7 is a detail section of the assen)` bling or mounting plate developed on the line '-f-T of F1 .1;

Fig. 8 is a si e view of said plate. Referring to the drawings. l() represents generally the casing of .1 Ford automobile engine. ll is a dynamo electricl machine. in this instance a starting motor` and 12 is n charging generator. ln the specific exam Ell) l ll.)

llc

ple here illustrntexhothe systcmiistherefore e two-unitsystem; but it is to beunderstood that the principles of the invention can be embodied in n single unit system Where, for example, u, dynamo motor provides both menus for starting und for generating current. The motor 11 und generator 12 may be mounted on the engineeasing in any suitable manner, but in the present example e unitary mounting in the toi-m of a plate in dicated generally :it 13 is provided, to which botl\,tl1e motor und Vgenerator are appropriately-secured, `bolts liserving this purpose in the. construction l. illustrated.

.Driving wnueetion between the armature shaft v,l5 of gthesmotorfend crank shaft 16 of thefinternal combustion 'engineiisatford- Bdhy,transmissionmechanisnrnow to be described in detail. A smzelL-pinion 17 -lixed .tolti-1e motor ,amieturelshaft .meshes with a largehreductiongenr laftixed to a Short shaft .18this shaft l18being-,siupported iin `.e bearing 19 )provided tin the fplate 113,` and projecting forwardly through e cover plate 20, which eloses.the 'front of: thelhonsi ng 21 orthe power-multiplying;gears 17":un(l:17. Seideoverlplate hasrfthollowboss 21,which also :providesia i supporting bearing -tor the shaft 18. Longitudinelly movable onislxat 18 iis.:1 .small Sprocket .22, which most desi'nably ihm-S :a yielding driving connection tf1-said shaft. `uch 4yielding connection comprises, in the present example, a coil spring VQ3 having ione end secured '.to the hub 24ofisaid sprocketnand'having its other end -seenredy to, a ycollar :25 .which :is pinned on otlie nwisei fixed to said` shaft.

Cooperating-With thesmall sprocket 22 in providing :1 second powerirnultiplyinggear combination is the lnrgesprocket 2,6 connec'ted toithezsinall-sprocketby drive chain 27. Tl`he `large sprooket y26 is .loose `on-a sleevei 27,A which; is fixed toi thel engine, crank shaft. by pin 28. The sprocket 26 is cupableof limited movement longitudinally onrsaid -sleeve 2T, and in order 'to rprevent interference with this movement by accidental.displacement of*pi.u 28,iit is desired to hold theilntter in thepositiou shown in FigY 4. rF-his muy be done in any suitable timonel'.4 but one convenient wey is to prick punt-l1 :i small projectionlt) ot metal `from thc'basc of the nsunl center hole 2H in the cud ot' the crunk shaft into n cooperating groove 3U in thepin 28. The hub 3l of sprocket '2G is provided :it the front with nielutchLn-ecomposed inithis inslunce otl ratchet teeth 32A Suid sprocket therefore constitutes one member of :1 onewny clutch device` of which tbc other member is the fzin {sulle}v 3?. which is provided with coopereine;Y mtr-hrt teeth ill, :ind which is rigidlyl held iniposition on sleeve 2T by pin Ito. 'the relative-lv movable clutch member consti luted by sprocket it is normulli held in inoperative ordisengaged position by some suitable means such use spring 36 rl`he described clutch mechanism may be closed or engaged to estziblsh driving connection between the sluiting motor und the engine crank shaft by any suitable means. s here illustrated, the sprocket Q6 may be moved forwardly `alongV the bearing sleeve 2T to engage ciutrh teeth :52 with clutch teeth 34 by means of n bent clutch lever 37, which hns :1 horizontal :portion rotatably supported iin 2L -fulcrun1 bearing; `provided by notches Ainzthe front faces ot lugs 38, cast .on ithe mounting `plate and extending lbelow the housingzQl", Suid lever being held in :place on 1 the i bearing by. the downwardly extending portion39 of the cover plaJbeQO. lllhe loweriend |40 of thisclutch leverimay be niovedfinto vengegjfenient with therearfece ot the loose-clutchsproolcet Qiby aspull on` the starting rod 4L which extends through the Avehicle dash 42 etwa location conveniently' `accessible: toa the driver. Seidrod |41 when so f pulled, rexerts e yresilient pressure ou the upper-,end otthe clutch liever "37 'to turn the-same'about its fulcrum bearing-:1t 38. und thusA to move the-clutch .sprocket *26 into loperative yengmgement with l'the tan pullevclntch fmember'. fAs here shown, the 'operating rod Atiextends through an eye 43 provided et `the upper end otfthe clutch lever 37; nndzi compression coil springy i4i4. secured :tt'one end to the redet and :atits other end tothe `eye 4? provides the 'resil'entconnection between the rod endithe yclutdzh'lever. 'A flatspringltta tastenedito the kplate 13 engages the part `ot Ilever 37 below its bearing 38, normally maintainringithelfm'ewend 40 of said lever-ont of contact with sprocket. stop member '45 tidjustable on rod '4t operates. when the rod hasbeen pulleda sufficient distnncepto torce resilient Contact 46 into engagement with fixed contact 147 on the clash. and thus to close acircuit, includingr leads 48 through :i storage battery (not shown). und `.the

starting motor. .'The arrangement Visevidently such that the clutch lever 37 :wilhelready have been actuated to practically close the clutch `mechanism i6-43?] by -the time the starting circuit is closed through contacts 46 and'47.

Phe usulfh'sind crunk 4.0 und storting piu 5t) ,may be -provi'ded to cooperate with fthe clutch ytace 5l with Which the outer cndot sleeve .27 is iornicd. thus pcrmittintr man nell stnrtingfot theenginefidionld this 'for :my rcnsonlbe necessary or desirable.

specific rletnil otrsome practicziliniportznicc in thc construction'here illust-rated is thc provisioni'for lubricating the bonringfbctween the. Slidzible sprowlfet 'lt un'd-sliwvc 2i'. As heril .shown the inncr cinbot'thc .sleeve i iprovided with un :mnillur recesss exicmlingr forwiri'llv :ind also -@doping radially outward slightly. OneV or more oil passages 53 extend from the base of the recess 52 to the outer surface of the sleeve 27. By means of` this arrangement seepage of oil along the shaft past the felt packing-l is caughtby recess 52 and forced centrifugally through paages tothe bearing surface. As the movement of sprocket 26pmY .its,bearing sleeve is notextensive, the lubrication thus afforded is ample for all practical purposes.

In theparticular construction here disj-losed, the manner in which the lighting generator 12 vis mounted. pn the plate 13 has some advantageous iig-ataires.'k It will be notedthat theplate. L3 is designed to replace the .usual time gear cover plate of the standard ,Ford eonstructiomrand that in securing thev plate in position, the original bolt connections tothe engine casing, some of which are'indicated at 55 maybe utilized. Theusual breather-pipe 56 may'also be cast integral with thefplate.while` the ground contar-t 512 ,isshovvn ,connectedin the well known imanner to'jthe usual; ord commutator of whichthecover isindicated at 5S. The mounting plate, is'forin'edatS to receive the conlmutatonqandgthe opening for the time shaft is shQWiliatLB?. c. The method of bolting the venerator tonthegmounting plate permits ready removal: ,ofthe generator for any desired l purpose.: and .this issiurther facihtatedqby; dividi Vvthe..generator .armature shaft and detac ably coupling the two parts at ,qinsidewthe hollojtv -generator housing 60. Ampleflubriciationjs provided for the'various partsinside the housing by a splash'propeller lwhieh ismounted Within the housing 'onf'the forwardlextension G2 of the generator armaturesliaft. The hearing63, for, this .forward -eixtenslon Yof the shaft, passesfdirectl'y. ,through the .engine breather andfis'apertured'aslindicated at 64, the arrangement beihgfsuehthat 'the oil vapors coinng,from,thel ,interior lof the engine. @Sigg ,are partly ,oondensed and fgathered uponthe outsidelof bfifll V.63, flowing thence to vthe Ainside of the bearing lthrough the' oil apertures.' ,This is' a'oonvenient way of renderlnguthe bearing self-lubricating, and while'it ,notv an indispensable feature of constructiomf itl is neyertheless an important specific detall of the inventionV in its referred. .mbodirnent, 4'

Tlie generator may be driven from the engine crank shaft in any suitable manner. InA the construtionhereydisclosed, the generator is arranged to'be driven by t-he fun belt which passes around lower fan pulley 33, upper fan pulley 66, and a drive pulley 6T keyed to the forward end ot' the generator shaft. The fan pulley 66 and fan 15T are carried by fan bracket 68. which is pivoted at 69 to the mounting plate 13 in :1 manner analogous to that employed in thc usual Ford construction, suitable adjusting means for ensuringy proper tension ol the fan belt being also provided. As here shown, such adjustment means comprises the hollow screw 70 working in a threaded hollow boss 7l on the mounting plate and containing a spring pressed plunger T2 which engages the short leverage abutment T3- on theV pivoted fan bracket. The tension of the belt can of course be adjusted by turning thc screw 70 to iegulute the yielding prcssurc on the plunger against the abutment Til.

The generator is lonncctcd iu the usual manner to the battery mains to charge the battery While the engine is running` suitable Switch means, cut out, and regulating means t0 control the How ol c urrcnt'to the battery and to prevent discharge of the battery through the generator when the latter is at rest, being provided as usual. .is the specific character of this arrangement forms iii) part of the present invention and is well understood by those skilled in this art, the arrangement does not require detailed description here.

The o evident 'rom the foregoing description..x Assuming the engine to be at rest, the operator may start it by pulling on the starting rod 41, which compresses spring 44 and thereby turns starting lever 37 on its fulcruni and moves the slidable sprocket and clutch mehr ber 26 toward the combined fan pulley and clutch member 33 on the engine shaft. At a point in this movement ot' rod l1l,ideter` mined by the position ol the adjustable stop 45, the battery circuit is closed through the starting motor by engagement -ofcontacts 46, 47. The armature shaft beginsto turn, and power is transmitted through reducing gears 17 and 17 to shaft 18, where upon the coil spring 23 winds up, and insu doing draws the sprocket 22 towards the left along its shaft, that is, in the same direction as the clutch sprocket 26 was moved by the clutch-operating` lever. It will be seen that by means of this arrangement the c two sprockets are maintained in substantially correct driving alinement. At the 4saine time, this movement also aids in bringing clutch 26 into full engagement with the fan pulley clutch member. WhenthewindA up of spring 23 has proceeded sufficiently far, the resistance of the crank Shaft to turning is overcome by the power transmitted through sprocket 22, chain 2T?, and sprocket 2G, to the fan pulley secured to the crank shaft, and the engine is turned over. It is to be noted that the resilient connection between the shaft 18 and the small sprocket 22 Serves to keep the clutch jaws 32. 34, in engagement in spite ol speed variation dui`w ing the first few revolutions of the engine shaft and until the cugino picks up` "his avoids repeated clutching and unclutching of these jaws :ind the4 resultant undesirable eration of the system suliiciently lli() lll) shock. 'After the engine Apicks up and operates under its own power, the clutch lever 37 is released and moved back toits normal position by the operation of springs 44 and 44; while the overrun of clutch jaws 34 together with the normal operation of spring 36, moves the clutch sprocketl into iiioperative or disengaged position. The driving connection between the starting motor and the crank shaft is thus broken,ithe tra'iismission mechanism, including the chainand-sprocket drive remainin idle. The=an and 'the generator 12am o course driven by the belt while the engine is running. The fact that the chain drive and other parts of l'the transmission gearing between' vthe motor and the crank shaft remai'nlidle after starting, is avery desirablefeatiire'oflthe present construction. Besidesobviating'the noise which would result-from sadtranslmission gearing running idle, it ,eliminates the inertia effect which wouldbep'roducedby the large reduction gear and also'does' away with wear and tear ontlie connections.

The arrangementl'ierein described, involving manualoperation of the :starting clutch mechanism, possesses some ver'y" ractical-advantaves ywhere used' in ciinectfon'lwithcircuit-c osing means as" here-`sl'ioivii,'but 4itis not to be inferred that'the 'inv'n'tior'iis limited-to manual clutch-operating means. 0n the contrary, closin of the' clutch' may be effected ianto'matical y,'if desired,1 '-b' operation of the starting motor,-iii `anly we lin'wii or Isuitable 'man rier.l '-Othe'r-V mechanical changes in lthe specific vi'arrai'ige'ment here illustrated can alsobe m'a'de'Awliile realizing the benefits of-the'nveritifonto a greater or less extent, and all such c'Eha'ngesV as come fairly within `the scope of-the' appended claims are contemplatedherein.

1. The combination, with the'shaft of an internal combustion engine, l and a combined fan pulley and clutch-member mounted thereon, of a 'starting motor, and transmission means for connecting said-starting motor with the engine shaft`,`said transmis sion means includingr a shaft having a driving connection with the motor armature, a sprocket loosely mountedthereon and m'ov able longitudinally thereo'f,"a second sprocket connected bv a drive chain to the first sprocket and provided with 'clutch means, and movable to cooperate with Asaid coimbined fan pulley and clutch'meniber in conrassen same direction as the clutching movement of the second sprocket.

2. The combination,*with the shaft of an internal combustion engine and a clutch member having a driving connectiontliere with, of a startingmotor` :ind transmission meansfincludirig'chain-:ind-sprocket mechanism, foi-connecting said motor to theehgine sha-ft, saidv chain-and-sprocke't mechanism comprisingtwo connected sprockets, of which one'em'bodies clutch means and is movableto en'g'age or di'sen ge said clutch 'mem nection with said motor and being automati- 'cally` movable to maintain siib'staiiti'ailjYY correct driving alinement ofsaid sprockets. 3. 'The combination, withth'e shaft ofa'n internal combustion engine and a "clutch member having ,a driving connection therewith, of a starting'mOtOr, and transmission means, including chainand-sprocket mecha l nism, for connecting said motor tothe engine shaft, said chain-and-sprocket'mechanism comprisinor two connected sprockets, oic which vone embodies clutch means andis movable to engage or disengagc said clutch member, 'and arresilient'driving connection between the other sprocket yand said motor. said resilient driving conne-ctionbeigiai-- ranged to .move such ,other'sprocket in' one direction ortheother corresponding to' thc engaging and disengaging .movements of the first mentioned sprocket. i' l '4. The 'combination, with the shaft of an internal-combustion enoine and a combined fan pulley and clutch member mounted thereon, of a starting motor, and transmission means, comprising chainandsprocket mechanism, for'connectingr said motor to the engine shaft through said fan pulley, said mechanism `including a sprocket'havingr clutch means and movable to engage or i'sengage said combined fan pulley and clutch member, and a second sprocket having :i driving connection to the motor and capablc of movement parallel to thc engaging and disengaging movements of the first nientioned sprocket.

In testimony whereoic l hereunto aiiix my signature.

JAMES K. DELANO.

ioo 

